“Why would he do such a thing?” asked Erik. “Yes, we have all heard the stories about the girl being an evil witch. But she is very kind and helpful. She even gave my wife some medicine for free.”
“I know not,” muttered Halvar, his anger rising. “But by the wrath of Odin, we are going to get her back.”
With grim determination, the men galloped up the path that led into the mountains.
CHAPTER 7
E ira woke up on the back of a horse, tied to a warrior. The graze on her arm stung and her head felt fuzzy but apart from that, she was unhurt. She tried to look around her. The path ahead of them curved to the right and she counted six warriors on horses ahead of her. She could hear at least two more horses behind her. The raiders moved at a steady pace, not making any attempt to conceal their tracks. They seemed to be unconcerned about anyone coming to rescue her. She figured that stealing people was a way of life for them and they probably got away with it most of the time. It led them to be complacent.
Night fell but they continued their steady plod along the mountain path. Eira heard the men mention Kallekot Dalr and knew that it was a village on the mountain path. She figured that they were going there and she felt afraid. She’d heard Halvar say that this village was on unfriendly terms with theirs. After they had been riding through the darkness for hours, they stopped at the edge of a clearing. There appeared to be some buildings nearby and Eira could smell wood smoke.
Someone untied the rope that bound Eira to the warrior and they allowed her to climb off the horse. They seemed to be unconcerned that she would escape. She went behind a tree to relieve herself and when she came back, one of the men handed her some bread and meat to eat. She stood by the fire they had made, grateful for its warmth.
After she had eaten, one of the men tossed her some rags and motioned to a cart standing outside one of the buildings.
“You sleep there,” he told her in an unfamiliar accent. He tied her feet together and tied the other end of the rope to the cart. She arranged the rags to make herself a bed to sleep on and curled up under the cart. She was glad she was wearing her good woolen coat because the night was cold and damp. She found sleep impossible, listening instead to the conversation of the men around the fire as they passed around flasks of ale. Sometimes they spoke in a language she didn’t understand and at other times, they spoke in her native tongue. It was during one of these moments that she learned what would be her fate.
“Do you think Njal will like this one?” asked one of the men.
“This one is better looking than the last one. He ought to like her!” replied another.
“He already has five wives. Why would he want another one?”
“Because he can afford them. He is a wealthy merchant, you know. They like to show off.”
“If he doesn’t want her, she should still fetch a good price at the slave market,” said a voice that Eira recognized as the leader.
“There were rumors that she is an evil witch,” said the first man.
“Well, don’t tell Njal anything about her and he won’t know the difference. He only wants to impress everyone with his wealth. He does not care much where his women come from.”
One of the men yawned. “Time for sleep,” he said. “The ale has done its job!”
The other men laughed, the sound coarse against the silent forest. Within minutes, the men were all asleep around the fire. All except for one.
The leader of the group checked to make sure that the others were asleep, then crept towards Eira. He crouched down and poked her to see if she was awake.
“What is your name?” he whispered when she sat up.
“Eira,” she replied, feeling afraid.
“Well, Eira, there’s something you need to do for me. Do it without complaint and I will see that you are well treated and do not get hurt. Even if you scream no one will come to your rescue. This village is accustomed to us coming through with people we find wandering around in the forest. You will get no help from anyone who lives here.”
Eira shrank back in fear as she realized that he planned to take her by force. She had never felt so alone in her entire life.
Halvar and his men rode hard, only stopping when the path forked to figure out which way the raiders had gone. Darkness fell but they pressed on, moving more slowly now in case they missed the track. When they reached the turn to Kallekot Dalr, Halvar was displeased.
“This makes it harder,” he muttered. “Be ready to fight, men!”
They continued silently down the path. When they reached the rocky outcrop not far from the village, they dismounted. Leaving two men with the horses, the others continued on foot, as silent as cats. Not a twig snapped, not a leaf rustled as they passed by. They stopped to listen to their surroundings. Finally, they heard horses moving around and could see figures standing around a fire. Quickly, they spread out around the camp at the edge of the forest. Beyond them lay the village; Halvar had no desire
